Sarkozy Appears to Lose Control of French Senate
A coalition of conservative parties that support Nicolas Sarkozy appeared Sunday to have lost its majority in the upper house of France’s parliament, a major political setback for the president eight months ahead of next year’s presidential election.
The opposition Socialist Party, together with other left-leaning movements, won a large chunk of the 170 seats in the Senate that were up for re-election, according to preliminary results. Although balloting was still under way Sunday evening in some of France’s overseas territories, the left, which hasn’t dominated the Senate in the past 50 years, claimed it would control at least 175 seats in the 348-seat chamber.
“For the first time, the Senate will undergo a change of political power,” said Jean-Pierre Bel, head of the Socialist group in the upper house. The ruling party of Mr. Sarkozy, the UMP, didn’t challenge Mr. Bel’s claim. “The left tide is real and stronger then I had anticipated,” Senate Speaker Gérard Larcher, a UMP member, said in a speech. Government spokeswoman and Budget Minister Valérie Pécresse told RTL radio that she “regretted” a political defeat.
Although Mr. Sarkozy’s ruling coalition has a majority in the lower house, the National Assembly, which has final say on new legislation, a hostile Senate, relying on filibuster tactics for example, could make it more difficult for the president to push through new policies…